4 Ways Universities Can Utilize Lockdown Period For Students’ Better Future

Dr RL Raina May 03, 2020

While there is no substitute to the regular classroom teaching-learning process, particularly in some subjects and courses, as they need robust support, but during the lockdown phase this online mode of delivery is increasingly getting embedded in our teaching-learning process. As our Prime Minister Narendra Modi also urged the industry to adopt new business models and work culture, going forward, edtech will be the new norm whether COVID-19 or not.

Today, all students are safe at their residences and teaching and non-teaching staff are operating tirelessly under WFH norms. Operating from home, faculty members have come out with innovative and engaging ways to deliver content to students.

Without compromising on the quality of the education at any cost, the various universities must adapt to academic activity-mix schedule for teachers, non-teaching staff, students and their parents to make the learning process more fruitful in the lockdown period.

ONLINE Master Classes

In such kind of classes, eminent academics and professionals from the country and abroad have been introduced to augment online teaching-learning process at the University. Under this, innovative ways of delivering the content can be highlighted, thereby ensuring student presence, interest and engagement in the online teaching sessions, giving and evaluating assignments, quizzes, and exams. All these approaches can ensure the most minimal impact on the regular classroom teaching-learning process without compromising on quality.

Time for doubt clarification, revision

Faculty members have been encouraging students to use the time for revision, assignment completion and doubt clarification with them through online interactions and brush up their skills and involvement in research. It’s pivotal for students and faculty members to re-assess the situation, post the announcement of the national lockdown, and in keeping with its commitment to minimize the impact of COVID-19.

Try out for online internships for students

While faculty are richly engaged on their academic (teaching/research) agenda, Technical (Computing & Learning Resource) staff are busy in providing uninterrupted support to the faculty and Administration is busy in keeping life at campus safe, the Career Services Division (CSD) of the University has kept both employers and students constantly engaged to ensure that jobs, practice schools, and internships of recently placed (but not yet onboarded) students are protected, convincing some companies to onboard students online during the lockdown period.

Good time for conducting a review meeting

The higher management is considering conducting a zoom review meeting with all faculty members of the University, students and their parents. This initiative will help students and their parents to worry less about their future prospects. Even if the response from some of the students and their parents/guardians are lukewarm initially, citing network access issues, worries and home disturbances as reasons, once such sessions happen in a regular basis, the response is expected to be both encouraging and motivating.